1982 Started from Hong Kong

Chapter 536 Natasha

“Nikolai Nikolayevich Guberko, our minister is a living dead who came out of the Odessa catacombs. Don’t compare him to an ordinary entertainment official.”

On the way to the Ural Hotel, Alexander, the temporary bodyguard, gave Zhai Yuan a brief introduction to the distinguished guest who had come to visit that evening.

As a member of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the Minister of Culture held an indispensable position in the municipal government. All cultural affairs and activities within the country required the approval of the Minister, and the major party media outlets and youth leagues were led by this department.

General Alexander accompanied Zhai Yuan to the banquet tonight, also hoping to subtly probe Ye Liqing's intentions and see how to win over the minister to their side.

"Minister Guberko was born on the front lines of the Battle of Odessa. His father was a Soviet Air Force officer, and his mother was Ukrainian. Later, during the Great Patriotic War in 1942, both his parents were hanged by the Nazis in front of the Vorosholinovgrad Cathedral. Guberko was sent to an orphanage in Odessa when he was just three years old. At the age of eighteen, he joined a youth theater troupe and entered the entertainment industry as an extra. Have you seen the Soviet film 'I'm Twenty'? Minister Guberko already played an important role in it during his student days..."

Perhaps because the other party was a descendant of a military martyr, Alexander knew a great deal about Guberko's resume.

Zhai Yuan was not very familiar with Soviet films. He had never even heard of the classic Soviet films that Guberko starred in or directed, such as "I Am Twenty," "A Soldier Returns from the Front," and "Life, Tears and Love," which were recommended by Alexander.

But the fact that a war orphan could rise from an extra to one of the most important seats in the Council of Ministers speaks volumes about the legendary nature of Guberko's life.

"A people's artist who represented the Soviet Union in cultural exports to the Cannes Film Festival and the Chicago Film Festival."

Zhai Yuan briefly summarized the Minister of Culture, and thinking of the stubborn and ill-tempered art film directors in his own company, he tapped on the car window and laughed, "Artists are always single-minded. Apart from film investment and entertainment propaganda, I really can't think of any other reason why he came to us."

"Perhaps it was the batch of supplies that you donated to the Ministry of Culture earlier that played a role."

Alexander grinned. "Minister Gubelko came all the way from Moscow to Yekaterinburg. As a skilled performer, he knows how to advocate for the Soviet Union in public and how to negotiate behind closed doors. Don't think the Ministry of Culture is a powerless department. Besides controlling the media, the National Art Museum, the Kremlin Armory, and its subordinate warehouses are filled with countless paintings, jewelry, and gold and silver artifacts passed down from the Tsarist era. In the past, these things symbolized glory and were not to be compromised. Now, he might personally deliver them to you in boxes."

Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Monet?

The car slowly drove into the courtyard of the Ural Hotel.

Looking at the gloomy night outside the window, Zhai Yuan thought that being an art collector wasn't so bad.

…………

The meals served at the Ural Hotel were, as always, meager and simple.
But now that the Far Eastern Bank has opened, the imported assorted steaks and cheap canned goods have added a touch of elegance to the dining table.

Following Director Ivan, Zhai Yuan met with another important official from the Ministry of Culture.

Minister Guberko, 49, sat at the end of the long table, wearing a sharp dark woolen overcoat and various incomprehensible badges pinned to his chest.

Soviet men had different types of baldness.
Guberko has a receding hairline that extends all the way to the Mediterranean, a mustache, and a smiling face. His half-Ukrainian heritage makes him look less rugged than a typical Russian, and gives him a more gentle and kind appearance.

Upon first meeting, we exchanged a few polite greetings as is customary.

“Mr. Zhai, you remind me of a Hong Kong filmmaker I met at the Tokyo Film Festival in the 1970s.”

Guberko spoke fluent Mandarin from the moment he opened his mouth, which immediately put Ye Zhiming, the translator, out of a job.

He said in a gentle tone, "Mr. Zhao Yifu is the godfather of Hong Kong cinema. As far as I know, 91 Entertainment has now replaced the Zhao family and become the only giant in the Hong Kong film industry."

This was the first time Zhai Yuan had heard about Hong Kong from other Soviet citizens.

After all, it's a major red country. They've always looked up to the United States and don't even respect the mainland. What kind of rotten fish and shrimp is Hong Kong?
"I wouldn't dare say I'm the only one."

Zhai Yuan waved his hand modestly, his gaze lingering on a woman accompanying Guberko for two seconds before he spoke again: "Hong Kong also has film companies and cinemas like Jiahe and Xinbao. Compared to them, I'm just a newcomer to the industry."

Guberko laughed and shook his head, saying, "But Mr. Zhai, since you have established the Film Association, no matter what kind of competitors emerge in the future, they will all have to deal with the Film Association."

Zhai Yuan raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself, "You know quite a lot."

The two communicated in Mandarin. Alexander, standing beside them, looked bewildered and glanced at Ye Zhiming. Ming had returned to his old job as a translator for the Soviet devils.

Like Zhai Yuan, Ye Zhiming and Alexander, while talking in hushed tones, also unconsciously glanced at the woman next to Guberko.

Even though Ye Zhiming was a man of experience, he was still captivated by the woman's looks and figure for a few seconds.

Taking advantage of the pause in Zhai Yuan's conversation with Guberko, he leaned close to Zhai Yuan and whispered teasingly, "This girl is hot, with a great figure and long legs. I hope the foreigner won't try to seduce you."

The woman sat quietly beside Guberko, her eyes smiling, without ever saying a word.

A typical Ukrainian beauty, around twenty years old, with a straight nose, full lips, and skin that gleamed with a cool white glow under the lights.

Especially her sapphire-like eyes, which seemed to have been enhanced with special effects.

Zhai Yuan nudged Ming with his shoulder and chuckled, "A honey trap? Sounds pretty difficult. Perfect, I want to test my weakness."

Ye Zhiming chuckled and uttered the word "picky," saying crudely, "To be honest, I've slept with quite a few Soviet women, but this is the first time I've seen one of this caliber."

Zhai Yuan rolled his eyes and ignored the vulgar remark.

"I forgot to introduce him to Mr. Zhai."

Guberko smiled and spoke again, looking at the foreign woman beside him, raising his glass to indicate, "This is Miss Natasha, Natasha Anastasia, the youngest and most beautiful section chief in our Ministry of Culture, in charge of film affairs. She is currently the assistant director of the Odessa Film Studio and also the director of the Gorky Art Theatre."

Natasha smiled and nodded in acknowledgment. It was the first time she had spoken tonight, and she even managed to speak fluent Mandarin.

"Mr. Zhai, it's an honor to meet you." The woman's voice was soft, with a hint of Slavic accent.

“Natasha’s hometown is Kyiv,” Guberko added. “She used to be a lecturer at a foreign language institute and was in charge of a lot of reception work.”

Natasha nodded slightly, her sapphire-blue eyes fixed on Zhai Yuan, and said, "Hong Kong, as the largest film production base in East Asia, produces hundreds of excellent films every year, which is unimaginable in the Soviet Union. Now everyone in China is talking about democracy and freedom, and I believe film is also a window to the outside world. If there is an opportunity to cooperate with Mr. Zhai, the Ministry of Culture could open a special window for 91 Entertainment..."

Natasha paused here, turned to look at Guberko, and smiled, her eyebrows curving upwards: "Comrade Minister, may I make this decision on my own?"

Guberko laughed and raised his glass: "Of course, Natasha. You're young, you understand the changing times better than us old fogies. Otherwise, why would I have brought you to talk to Mr. Zhai? In front of Mr. Zhai, feel free to express your thoughts." The two talked as casually as father and daughter, without the harshness between superiors and subordinates in other departments.

Natasha smiled playfully upon hearing this, then looked at Zhai Yuan again and continued in a gentle yet organized tone: "Although the Soviet film industry has declined, our country has countless filming locations of various styles, a large number of well-trained extras, and abundant studio soundstages and location resources."

"If Mr. Zhai needs it, we can even provide military tanks, aircraft, and ships as props. If you are willing to cooperate, you can not only get the highest priority approval in the Soviet Union, but also directly bypass some cumbersome review procedures."

"In other words, whatever subject matter you want to film, the Ministry of Culture will do its best to pave the way for you. We hope to work with you, this legendary film tycoon from Hong Kong, to develop the Soviet film industry."

After he finished speaking, the atmosphere became quiet for a moment.

Only Alexander, who couldn't understand the conversation, stared blankly, constantly shifting between Zhai Yuan and Natasha.

"Soviet films..."

Zhai Yuan gently swirled the wine glass in his hand, tapping the rim of the glass with his fingertips, silently weighing his options.

After the October Revolution, Lenin put forward the policy that "film is the most important art." The Soviet Union did attach great importance to film, but that was about it.

Unlike the commercial film markets of Hollywood or Hong Kong,

Soviet commercial cinema never truly flourished; it was more of a blend of politics, ideology, and artistic experimentation.

When it comes to making money, Soviet films or later Russian Federation films don't even come close. Even with the Ministry of Culture's intervention, Zhai Yuan still has no interest in the so-called development of the Soviet film industry.

But the studios and location shooting resources that Natasha mentioned are indeed very attractive.

The 1966 Moscow production of "War and Peace," costing $5.6 million, established its status as the largest-scale war film ever shot on location. This demonstrates the abundance of location resources available in the Soviet Union. Compared to expensive and easily outdated special effects, or the strict approval processes in mainland China, if future blockbusters like "Iron Man" could film on location in the Soviet Union, using real guns and cannons, their chances of competing with Hollywood would undoubtedly be much greater.

“Miss Natasha is right. Nowadays, everything is about democracy, freedom, openness, and inclusiveness, and movies are no exception.”

Zhai Yuan shifted his gaze from Natasha to Guberko and slowly said, "The Soviet Union has a vast amount of filming locations and studio resources, and 91 Entertainment has a lot of commercial film talent. If the two are combined, the film produced will definitely be a sensation in the world film industry. I am quite confident about that."

Guberko and Natasha exchanged a smile.

Zhai Yuan changed the subject, a hint of inquiry in his eyes: "But I think that you, Minister, have come all this way to open a special window for 91 Entertainment, not just for something as simple as adding filming locations at the end of the film, right?"

This was half a joke and half a test.

If he were facing someone with a military background like Alexander or Orlov, Zhai Yuan would have already asked directly, "How much money do you want?"

But the cultured couple in front of him only talked about the benefits and didn't mention any conditions, which made Zhai Yuan very uncomfortable.

In extraordinary times, we should try to solve problems with money whenever possible. If we only talk about the development of art and not money, it will only make people feel scared.

"Mr. Zhai is indeed a smart man."

Guberko paused for a moment, then laughed heartily, "However, I would like Miss Natasha to explain this to Mr. Zhai personally. For me, cooperating with 91 Entertainment is about bringing Soviet culture back into the world's view, but the Ministry of Culture is not always solely under my control..."

Guberko gave Zhai Yuan a knowing look, then stood up, supporting himself on the table with both hands.

"I have brought Miss Natasha all the way from Moscow to Yekaterinburg today, and I hope that you young people can exchange ideas with each other."

Guberko's smile remained friendly, but he was already poised to leave: "There are still many important matters in Moscow that I must rush back to handle tonight. As for the rest, Natasha, I hope you can represent the Odessa Film Studio and have a friendly exchange with Mr. Zhai."

After receiving Natasha's affirmative answer,

The head of the Ministry of Culture bid farewell to Zhai Yuan without even glancing at the sumptuous meal on the table.

Guberko did not stay for more than half an hour from beginning to end.

Only four people remained in the room.

Natasha glanced at Ye Zhiming and Alexander beside Zhai Yuan, then picked up her wine glass and took a small sip.

She licked the wine stain from the corner of her lips with the tip of her tongue, her sapphire eyes brightening, her tone carrying a seductive and provocative quality: "Mr. Zhai, Minister Guberko has left, so how about we talk somewhere else?"

…………

The courtyard of the Ural Hotel was still gloomy under the cover of night.

Guberko hurriedly got into a car after leaving the hotel, his steps so hurried that he almost tripped on the steps.

Once inside the car, the minister's kind and friendly smile vanished abruptly, and he let out a long sigh of relief.

"Drive! Get to the airport immediately! Hurry!"

Guberko gave the driver a hurried instruction, and as the car started, his pounding heart gradually calmed down.

Director of the Ministry of Culture? Assistant Director of the Odessa Film Studio? Director of the Gorky Art Theatre?

Guberko gripped the car seat tightly, his mind a jumble of thoughts.

Hopefully, the false identities I provided for the KGB Security Committee will be enough for this East German female spy tonight to handle Zhai Yuan and get dirt on Ye Liqing.

Otherwise, if Ye Liqing were to come to power, that capricious, alcoholic chairman would settle scores with him...

Guberko swallowed hard; it was late autumn, yet cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

(End of this chapter)